It’s a new year, a new decade, and workplaces are abuzz with one of the hottest (possibly burnt-out) phrases of 2019: “employee engagement”.

While a lot of business leaders throw the term around like confetti, they don’t really know what these words mean — or, more importantly, how to put it into practice.

But overused phrase or not, employee engagement should be high on your agenda if you’d rather spend less time dealing with staff turnover and more time celebrating high performance.

Let’s dive the employee engagement trends on our radar for 2020 with tips on how to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Trend 1: More emphasis on ‘L&D’

Employees invest their time and energy working for a company, so it’s no surprise they want their company to invest in them in return.

A whopping 74% of employees say they aren’t reaching their potential because they aren’t getting enough development opportunities at work. Yikes.

Leadership in 2020 needs to get serious about investing in teams, finding new ways to give their people the skills and know-how to do more for themselves and the business.

Rather than pouring money into rigid training structures and ho-hum training modules, businesses need to focus on continuous learning and knowledge sharing to equip employees for the decade ahead.

How to do it: less e-Learning and classroom set-ups, more mentoring for junior employees, lunch ‘n’ learns, and budgets for online certifications.

Trend 2: Focusing on physical workspaces

The traditional desk cubicle is definitely a thing of the past — can we get a hallelujah?!

Studies have shown time and time again the right workplace design boosts team happiness, helps reduce sick days, and adds to employees’ sense of feeling valued.

This trend has really taken off over recent years, with more companies building or refitting office spaces with a clear goal: to maximise employee happiness.

Modern workspace design features more hot desks, lounges and soft seating areas, and break-out spaces to encourage collaboration and creativity.

At the same time, ‘biophilic design’ is on the rise as research shows more plants, natural lighting, and even having pets at work makes employees calmer and more creative.

Google and Etsy are just a couple of the companies bringing the outdoors indoors to build uplifting workspaces that make their people want to stay beyond clock-off time.

Trend 3: Celebrating that flex life

Microsoft made waves around the world with its four-day work week, which boosted productivity by 40%. Now, not every business can wrangle this, but you can (and should) be looking at flexible working arrangements to attract and retain great talent.

Flexible working is no longer ‘nice to have’ — it needs to be part of your employee engagement strategies in 2020 and beyond. 77% of employees say flexible work hours are a major consideration when picking where to work in the future.

It’s time for companies to stop saying they’re flexible and actually be flexible. Ultimately, you need to evaluate your team structure and workload to see what works best for your business.

Keep in mind the right tech is also essential to make flexible work work. Communication and collaboration tools (such as Slack, Zoom and, of course, Heelix) are must-haves to help team members collaborate and connect, whenever and wherever they’re working.

Trend 4: Being a well-being

It’s no secret it’s getting harder to switch off from work. Companies are recognising employees need to feel their best to do their best, with 60% of organisations now offering wellness programs — a trend that we see continuing for management in 2020.

Workplace wellness is about more than giving lip service or offering lunchtime meditation sessions. Our wellbeing is personal, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution that will have every member of your team feeling zen.

How to do it: Leaders and managers need to build a deep and genuine understanding of the drivers that lead to stress in the workplace, learning how to identify signs of ill mental health and having the right systems in place to support employees.

Trend 5: Focusing on meaningful recognition

We all love a high-five or a shout-out for a job well done, and recognition is a must if you want your team to be engaged in their work and the company.

Younger generations in the workforce, Millennials and Gen Z, want to feel valued at work more than anyone, with 79% saying an increase in rewards and recognition would make them more loyal to their current company.

This doesn’t mean more budget for pay raises; it’s all about rewarding great work in a genuine way. Real actions go a long way in making your staff feel appreciated, valued, and more likely to give it their all at work.

How to do it: Ditch the Employee of the Month awards and formalities and focus on heartfelt actions that make the team feel valued: treating them to a coffee, shout-outs during team meetings, or profiling employees on social media.

With the future of work all about building deeper connections between employees and the organisations they work for, these 2020 workplace trends can help you set your team up for success well into the new decade.
In our increasingly demanding workforce, knowing your team, what drives them, and what they need to stay motivated is more important than ever.